Means for coloring and agitating paint



March 26, 1940. F, H, BRQWN 2,195,234

MEANS FOR COLORING AND AGITATING PAINT Filed Feb. 24, 1959 2sheets-sheet 1 ATTORNEY.

March 26, 1940. F. H. BROWN 2,195,234

MEANS FOR COLORING AND AGITATING PAINT Filed Feb. 24. 19:59 2sheets-sheet 2 1N VENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

vPatented Mar. r26, 192i() I fSTME/s! PATENT OFFICE i' -V MEANsFoaooLoRING AND-AGITATING.

.PAINT a 'Nif 'l y, Frank H. Brown, Pennside,'la.

' .gi-Application February ,24,l 1939, sera'l'N. l258,167

14 claims. (01.259-l-245 My invention relates to means this purposetthatare? adapted for operation at a place; of widefdistribution oruse, suchas a retail.y Store' or a paint shop. I

f Thus; in' many cases, inv order for a dealer or shop operator to havea' suitable variety of colors,

it was necessaryto have'a-great stock ofpaint,` whichinvolvedvan`extensiveinvestment of capital, andi-frequentlyresulted in deteriorationand loss. 11" v Y Nct only were the colors many, but they were put up incans of various sizes, so that a common complaint in establishments ofthis character was thatfthewdealer lmight'have the desired color,but-not the desired ycansize.`

Ther inconveniences andlack of economy and efficiency. resulting fromthe `alcove-mentioned causes, eventually inspired the suggestion ofproviding. a base paint, such as white or other color; incontainersforcansior the .reception of color charges fromv separate' packets, thisoperation to befeflected byther customer.

This formerk suggestion has the advantage vof reducing the stock-to bemaintained, but has the great disadvantage of requiring' the individualusery to .open two containers, `place the contents of, the colorcontainer into :the base, paint container; andeiect the mixingloperation himself.

There are severaldetriments to such process, inasmuch as manyindividualusers have no effective ideaof ,howto-mix the ingredients, do not mixalliof the. color, cannot repeat the processl to obtain matched colors,Vand `'cannot avoid other 'difnculties such.- as spilling the paint,damaging surrounding objects and undergoing considerable loss. andtrouble. 1

'L It is anobject oimy invention toprovide means `for; retaining theadvantagesof the separate color packet! idea by'eiecting. the mixture atthe Shop or retail dispensary, `whereby the operation. is

eiectednuickly and easily, by one who knows how, the, individualuservreceives a single container vOriinished product, successivepurchases can befleadily,matched,l the ,dangeroi' spillage,

damage and loss isv reduced, and the advantages f arealsoretained offtheolder methodfofputting up 4all v.oifthe.slfiades and tints atthefactory.

. Anotherobject: of the-invention is to provide suchmeansrwherebyextensive yequipment at the place y ,of.;mixing, andelaborate alteration of l standard;canszorgpontainers are not required.

for coloring andagitatirg paint, and particularly to means for In orderto render the invention more clearly understood, means are shown in theaccompanying'vdrawings for carrying the same into prac-r tical eifect,without limiting the improvements in the useful applications thereof tothe vparticular constructions shown and described, :which yare givenmerelyby way of example.A ,f

In the drawings:v 1

Figure 1 ,is a View, inside elevation'and ona reduced scale, of meansfor effecting certain steps l0;

of v'the-method, of my invention; the parts @being indicated aslpositioned during avcertain inter- 1 mediatephase of the method; y

Fig. 2 is a view, partially in section. and partially inelevation,of-.parts of the means of Fig. 'i357' l as positioned at kan earlierstep ofthe method; f

Fig. 3 isa view, partially in side elevation, parltia-llyin section,vand on an enlarged scale, of

the lid of 'a paint can 'shownz in Fig. 1, and an agitator removablymounted lon the under or inner side ofthe 1id;`

Fig. 4 is a `bottom plan View of .the agitator and a portion of the lidlshown in Fig. 3; v

Fig.4 5 isa view, partially. inside elevation and partially in section,parts also being broken away, ofv means 'for operating the agitator ofFigs. 3 and 4;

Fig. e is a top pian View of the device of rig. 5; z Fig. 7 is aview,taken inthe direction of an arrow 'l of Fig;` 3, of the agitator andvits means 30y of' mounting on vthe lid;A l f Fig. 8 is a bottom planviewlof the device of Fig.4 5,'with the parts positioned as thereinshown;

Fig. 9 shows the parts of Fig. 8 in different relative positions; and Yl Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail'vievv, in longituembodied in theinvention.r

In practicing the invention, a container or can adapted to receive abase paint, an enamel, a stain or avehicle, and also to haveserviceaperr ture means,.such as'the usual opening at the top ofxthecan, .or an aperture provided `by cutting, for `the removaly of thecontents, is further.

dinal section, of one example vof holding devicel adapted, as by an'auxiliary opening in the lidjor 45 other part ofthe containento receivea color orother treatingA medium. froma container or tube withoutopening the'service aperture; this y operation also being followed bythe agitation of the mixture in the container, without yopening theservice opening.

` Means for correlatingthe basepaint container and the color mediumcontainer to effect ythe above-mentioned results, is embodied in one`example of a machinev vfor practicing the method; v

such as a machine having a support for the base paint container,operating means, a support for the color medium container movablebetween effective and ineffective positions relative to the,

base pain't container `and the operating means,

and means operable by the operating means,

for eiectively operating one forni of the method,`

comprises a base or plate "i4, as for disposition on a counter or standin a shop o'r retailstore, means, such as a flange i5 or an adjustableelement on the base l0. or other part, for centering a container or cani6, a standard l1, asof 1rnetaltubing secured in a socket I8 on thebasev |4, a collar 2| vertically adjustably secured lin position aroundthe standard l1, as by a screw 22,` and a color medium container supportsleeve 23 movably journaled about the standard on the collar 2|. i

The sleeve 23 is connected, as by screws 26, to a plate-like bracket arm21 that is secured, as by screws 28, to a sleeve 3| surrounding acylinder 32 and holding the latter in vertically adjustable fixedposition. The cylinder 32 is provided with a lower end element 33removably K attached thereto, as by bayonet joint means 36,

and having a tapered or funnel-like lower end outlet port conforming tothe lower port or exit end 38 of a color-medium container 4| in thecylinder 32.. I

l The container 4l, which may be constructed entirely ci metal ror othersuitable material, has a body portion 44 that closely ts the inside ofthe sleeve 3i and, in the present instance, is constituted as arigid-wall tube. The end 38, also of tubular form, but of smaller'diameter than the body portion 4t, is joined to the `body portion 4tthrough the intermediary of'a substantially irusto-conical element` 45.

The color-medium container also has an element 42 of-metal as othermaterial substantially cup-shape at its upperdl or rear end which isconstituted as both the sole means for closing said 'end and as meansoperating similarly to a piston head for driving a color medium 43through the lower end 38. The opening in thelower end of the element 33is made largev enough to pass a cap 46 of metal or other material on theend 38 of the container' fil. This cap may be removed in certaininstances where the medium 43 is sufciently firm, before the insertionof thecolor medium container 4| into the cylinder 32.

Avpist'on or plunger element 41, see Fig. 2, `has alovver end head 48 ofinverted substantially frusto-conioal shape conforming to the shape ofthe lower'end of the color-medium container in rorder to effectivelyextrude the medium 43, and is provided with a shank 5| fitting anopening in a clamp body 52Flg. l, and a notch 53 for removableattachment to the body 52, as by maniplulation of a holding lever 56.. f

The clamp body 52 is of cylindrical shape surrounding, and xed to, ahollow portion 54 of the plunger rod 51 into which the shankt5| isinserted. AV shaft 55 is transversely journaled in the body 52 an-d hasa slot or recess 59 which, when the shaft is turned one hundred andeighty degrees about Athe shaft axis `from the position shown in Fig.l0, so registers with the hollow or bore of the portion 54 astoadmittheshank 5|. When the notch 53 isopposite the recess 59, the

shaft 55 is turned one hundred and eighty de gree Lto the position shownin Fig.l 10,'v in which position a portion 60 of the shaft l55 loppositethe recess 59 is disposed in the notch53, and the piston 41 is therebyheld in piace.` A simple reverse turning movement of the shaftL 55,effected by manipulation of the lever 56, removes the portion 60 fromthe notch 53'and again places the recess 59 in register with the bore ofthe portion 54, whereby the piston 41 i's released for removal from` theplunger rod 51.

The clamp body 52, and the lever 56 thereof, are carried at the ,lowerend of a `plunger rod 51 that isv rotatably yand `verticallyreciprocably mounted in a sleeve bearing 58 on a bracket arm 6|. Thelatter has asleeve 62 iixed in position I around the standard Al1, andsupports brackets 83 secured thereto as byscrews 66. The brackets 63have sleeves 61 in which rods 68 on a base 1| are secured, as by setscrews 12, for support-` ing a drive motor 13.

Avertical shaft 16 of the motor V1I! carries a pulley 11 connected by a'belt 18 toa pulley 8| that is splined to the plunger'rod 51 to rotatetheflatter and to permit the latter to move vertically relative to thepulley 8|. l

This vertical movement of the plunger rod 51 is effected by a lever 82havinga connection 83 tothe rod permitting the lever to pivot, about ahorizontal 'axis relative to the rod, and the rod to Arotate about itsvertical axis relative to the lever. The latter is further pivoted, asby a pin a cover or cap `83. At 'the inner for under side of the lid 92,in register with the opening ,90, is a sleeve 96 having a t'op ange91 bywhich the sleeve is solderedv or otherwise secured to the lid 92. Thesleeve-96 has vertical side'slots 98 communicating with horizontal slots|0| `to, in effect, provide bayonet joint connection `or receiving meansfor an agitatorormix'er |02 that is normally lsuflici'ently tightlyfriction'ally held inposition by the sleeve as to prevent accidentaldisplacement `of the. agitator from the sleeve.

In the position shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 1,"the agitator |02 is thusVfrictionally held, but by turning the agitator clockwlsef'as viewed inFig. 4,'it is displaced from thehorizontalslots |0| and placedinregister'with the vertical slots 98, whereby it may vbe removed`vertically downwardly from the'sleeve. Conversely, 'the agitator may bereplaced in position inthe sleeve by'moving it'upvvardly inthe slots 98and turningit counter clockwise Sinto the horizontal slots |01 againstthe friction or springipressure of the sleeve Von the agitator. f l

The agitator., which as :shown is of sheet material, `comprises acentral ring-like portion |03 having `inwardly extending radiallyopposite projections |66V and .radially outwardly eittending blades |01.

Referring to Figs. 5, '6, 8 fand 9,a'n 1attachment for mounting on theplunger 51, `Willen the with each other, so that the attachment may bement to the cla-mp body bymanipulation of Athe holding lever56.

The element |08 has a'disk-like' lower end member H2 secured, as bybolts H3, to another disk-like member H6, andy between which disks is.mounted a lever H1 fixed to the upper end of a. rod H8 disposed' in asleeve or tube |2|. The latter is held, as by a set screw |22, in asleeve |23 on which the disk H6`is mounted.

Fixed to the lower end of the sleeve |2| is an element |26includinganannular shoulder |21 and an annular `portion |28 of reducedv diameterhaving slots |3|v for receiving the projections |06 of the agitator |02.'I'he portion |28 is of such ydiameter as to have a close sliding fitwith the inner edge of the ring-like portion |03 of the agitatorwhereby, when theportion |03 is on the portion-|28 with the projections|06 in the slots |3|the agitator is held closely to the eleinsertedinto, or withdrawn from, the agitator.

When the handle |1 is moved from its full-line position to itsdotted-line position 'of Fig. 6, thereby moving the element |32 from'the position of Fig. 8 to the position ofFig. 9, the slots 4|36 aremoved out of register with the slots |3|, whereby the projections |06,and the agitator as a whole, are held to the attachment, because theLprojections |06 are then held from above by the portion |28, and frombelow, by the portiony |33.

An element |31, oatingly surrounding the tube |2|, has a frusto-conicalortapered portion |38 adapted to nt the opening 90 and to remain thereinas a closurev element when the attachmentv of Fig. 5 is lowered from theposition of this gure, and until the attachment is lifted out of theopening 90.

In operation, as when a customer of a retail paint store has requested acertain size can of paint of a certain color, the salesman, instead oflooking for such can containing a factory-mixed i paint, merely selectsacan of the size requested, but containing only a base, such aswhitepaint, and selects a color medium container of such size, andcontaining a color medium of such character, as to give the quantity ofbase paint selected the tint or shade desired. v i

The body container I6 is then placed, asin Fig. 1, the cap 93 removed,without disturbing the lid 92 and the container 4| placed in the sleeve32, or these operations may be varied as desired. It is sufficient that,with the container 4| positioned relative to the head 48, as in Fig. 2,and the head secured tothe clamp body 52 in the upper position of thelatter, effected by moving the handle 89 upwardly, the lower end 38 ofthe element 33, with the cap46 removed, is inserted into the opening 90.I

Then, by moving the handle 89 downwardly, the head 48 engages and fitsthe element 42, the latter acts as a piston head against. the colormedium 43, and the latter is extruded into the` container I6.

The handle 89 is then raised, they empty container`4| removed, the head48 detached from the plunger rod 51, and the cylinder 32 moved `is thensecured to the attachment of Fig. 5, as described, whereupon, bylowering the plunger, the agitator is released from the lid 92 forlowering into the can. After .this operation, by energizing the motor13, the plunger 51 is rotated through the intermediary of the pulley 8|,the belt 18 and the pulley 11, to thoroughly agitate the mixture.

Upon the completion of the latter, `the motor is deenergized, .therotationoffthe agitator stopped, and the plunger raised, whereby, uponthe reversal of the above-described operations, asset forth, theagitator is replaced in position on the sleeve 96 and released fromtheattachment of Fig. 5. f.

The cap 33 is replaced in the opening 90 and the can of freshly mixedand freshly tinted paint of the desired color handed to the purchaserready for use, as soon as desired, by merely removing the lid 92 in ausual manner at the point of use; theV method having the great advantageof not requiring the opening of this lid, which is always ahazard.` .l y

The equipment or machine at the store or shop is very simple, compact,economical to construct and easy to operate toeifect the coloring andagitating operations quickly.

The method effects great economy by the reduction of stock necessary tobe maintained and handled, and has many' other advantages.

Although a particular'form of the invention has been shownand described,changes may be eifected therein without departing from the spirit andscope thereof, as set forthin the appended i claims,

` moving said agitator from said supporting means.

2. Means for agitating paint, comprising a container having a lidproviding for the opening of the container for the removal of the paint,an auxiliary opening in said lid, a cap for the auxiliary opening, meanson the lid for supporting an agitator in the container, van agitatorremovably mounted on said supporting means, and agitator operating meansfor extension through said auxiliary opening and detachable attachmentto said agitator for removing the latter from, and returning it to, saidsupporting means.

3. Mechanism for coloring paint, comprising a supporty for a base-paintcontainer including a lid for closing the container and opening it toserve the colored paint,'and means providing an entrance for a colormedium to the container and also providing for agitation of the mixturewhile said lid is in closed position, means for holding ing color mediuminto the base-paint container through said entrance, and means foraction on a color-medium container in position for insertthe colormedium in the color-medium container to exert force on the lcolor mediumduring said insertion.

4. Mechanism for coloring and agitating paint, comprising a support forabase-paint `container including lid for closing the container andopening it to serve the colored paint, and means providing an entrancefor a color medium to the container and also providing for agitation ofthe vmix'- ture While said lid is in closed position, means for holdinga color-medium container in position 'for inserting color mediuminto thebase-paint container through said entrance-means for action on the colormedium in the color-medium container to exert force on the color mediumduring said insertion, agitator operating means on said mechanism andheld in position for operation in said entrance, and means for actuatingsaid operating means. l

5. In apparatus for inserting color medium into a closed receptaclehaving a small opening provided With a removable closure element, meansfor receiving the receptacle with said opening in predeterminedposition, and means for holding a color-media container for insertingthe medium into the receptacle through said opening in said position. n

6. In apparatus for inserting color medium into, and agitating paint in,a closed receptacle having a small opening provided with a removableclosure element, means for receiving the receptacle with saidy openingin predetermined position, means for holding a color-medium containerfor inserting the medium into the receptacle through said opening insaid position, and means for exerting agitating action in thereceptacle.V

'7. In apparatus for inserting color medium into,

and agitating paint in, a closed receptacle having a small openingprovided with `a removable closure element, means for receiving thereceptacle with said opening in predetermined position, means forholding a color-medium container for inserting the medium into thereceptacle through said opening` in said position, and means operablethrough said opening in said position for exerting agitating action inthe receptacle.

8. In apparatus for inserting color medium into a receptacle containinga base paint and agitating the mixture, the receptacle including a lidhaving a small opening provided with a removable clo- 1 sure element,means for receiving the receptacle vvitn` said opening in predeterminedposition, means for holding .a color-.medium container for inserting themedium into the receptacle through said opening in said position, andmeans ,operablethrough said `opening in said position ior exertingagitating action in the receptacle.

9. In apparatus for agitating color paint in a receptacle containing abase paint and including a portion having aismall opening provided witha removable closure element, said small opening providing for theinsertion oi" color medium therethrough intothe receptacle, means forreceiving the receptacle with said small opening in predeterminedposition, and means operableV through said small opening in saidposition for agitating the mixture in the receptacle.

i0. lIn apparatus for agitating color paint in a receptacle'containing abase paint and including a portionhaving a small opening provided With aremovable closure element, said small opening providing for theinsertion of color vmedium therethrough into the receptacle while thereceptacle remains otherwise closed, means for receiving and supportingthe receptacle, and means for agitating the mixture :in the receptacleWhile supported on said receiving means.

1l. In combination, a receptacle having top and bottom Walls enabling itlto be vstacked vover and under like receptacles and including a portionof its top Wall having a small ropening therethrough, agitator means inthe receptacle having a v,portion accessible through said small openingfor operative connection to and disconnection from agitatoroperating'means insertible through and withdrawable from said smallopening, and removable closure vmeans for sealing 'said small opening`iree from interference with said stacking.

1'2. In combination, a receptacle having a lid opening andl including amovable lid for said lid opening and Ya Ysmalier opening through thelid, agitator means removably mounted on the inner side oi' thelidha'ving a portion accessible through said `smaller opening foroperative connection to agitator operating means for dismounting theagitator means from the -lid and actuating the agitator means,saidagitator operating means being operative to returnthe agitator meansto position mounted o n the lid and for disconnection 'from theagitator. means for Withdrawal through said smaller opening, andremovable closure means for said smaller opening.`

13. Means for agitating paint, comprising a receptacle including a lidproviding ior the opening of the receptacle for the removal of the paintand having an auxiliary opening, a removable closure element forthevauxiliary openingmeans on the lid for removablysupporting an agitatorin the receptacle, and an agitator onv said supporting means having aportion accessible through said auxiliary opening for operativeconnection to and disconnection from agitator-actuating means operablethrough the auxiliary opening from outside the receptacle.

i4. In apparatus for agitating color paint in a receptacle containing abase'paint and embodying a portion having a small aperture provided withclosure means movable for opening and closing said aperture, a containerholding a color medium and having an exit portion adapted forcooperation with said small aperture in inserting the mediumtherethrough into said receptable While the latter remains otherwiseclosed, closure means movable for opening and closing said exit portion,means for receiving and supporting said receptacle for cooperativerelation to said container, and means for agitating the mixture inthereceptacle While supported on said receiving means. Y

FRANK H. BROWN.

